5th 144MHz Backpackers Contest of 2010

The final 144MHz Backpackers Contest was marred by strong wind and on the higher ground, almost zero visibility due to low cloud. However, plenty of Continental DX was available with a best DX of 882 km, achieved by Ashley, M0BAO/P

The standard of logging was general good with an average of only 3.5% of points lost. Twelve of the eighteen entrants lost 3.5% or less of their score. Seven entrants lost no points at all - well done! At the other end of the scale, two stations lost in excess of 16% of their score due to inaccurate recording of information. The most common mistake in this contest was not logging the call sign correctly; a mixture of not logging /P, miscopying the number in the call sign or twisting the letters in the suffix (e.g. G9ABC rather than G9BAC).

Congratulations to:

Winner: Hill Toppers (10H): Paul Selwood, G8BGV/P
Runner-up: Hill Toppers (10H): Tony Judge, G1ARU/P
Winner: Backpackers (3B): Andrew Vare, G4XZL/P
Runner-up: Backpackers (3B): Worthing Radio Events Group, M0REG/P operated by Gary Aylward, G0XAN
Highest placed Intermediate Station: Paul Johnson, 2E0TXT/P
Highest place Foundation Station: Jimmy Read, M3EYP/P

A check log is gratefully acknowledged from GW3NYY/P.

Ian, G0FCT

Section 10H
Pos	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Score	Multiplier	Total	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1	G8BGV/P	JO01	80	21,742	44	956,648	DL0GTH	718	10	6Ele DK7ZB	FT817 + Amp + Pre Amp
2	G1ARU/P	JO02	58	16,382	38	622,516	DL0GTH	740	10	9el Tonna	IC706MkIIG
3	G8CQA/P	IO81	62	15,849	36	570,564	HB9STY/P	836	10	9 Ele Tonna	IC-910H
4	GW8ZRE/P	IO83	61	12,555	28	351,540	DF0MU	719	10	7 ELEMENT ZL YAGI	KENWOOD TR751E
5	G3BPK/P	IO83	33	9,070	23	208,610	DF0MU	691	10	12 ELEMENT YAGI	IC 746
6	M0TAZ/P	JO01	35	7,131	24	171,144	TM0W	699	10	9 Ele Tonna	IC-7000
7	M0BAO/P	IO80	34	8,740	19	166,060	ED1R	882	10	13 element Tonna	ICOM IC7000
8	G8NWC/P	IO92	10	1,836	9	16,524	GM4ZUK/P	480	5	4EL TONNA	FT817
Section 3B
Pos	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Score	Multiplier	Total	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1	G4XZL/P	IO80	42	17,474	34	594,116	AO2A	860	3	9 Element DK7ZB yagi	FT-817
2	M0REG/P	IO90	45	13,175	34	447,950	ED2T	857	2.5	5-ele homebrew Yagi	Yaesu FT-817
3	G4ARI/P	IO92	64	11,674	30	350,220	F5SGT/P	522	3	MET 6 Element Yagi	FT817
4	GW4EVX/P	IO83	61	12,280	26	319,280	F1UVN	512	2.5	5 Ele ZL Special	Yaesu FT817
5	M1EYP/P	IO83	55	8,845	22	194,590	F6HPP/P	569	2.5	SB3 - 3Y	FT-817
6	G4ALE/P	IO80	24	8,976	18	161,568	AO2A	866	2.5	9 el F9FT	FT290 II
7	2E0TXT/P	IO83	29	4,376	16	70,016	G4XZL/P	357	2.5	Moxon	Yaesu FT 817
8	G0OVA/P	IO84	17	3,855	14	53,970	M2F	433	2.5	9 el Tonna	FT290 Mk 1
9	G7NBE/P	IO92	20	3,420	13	44,460	GM4ZUK/P	463	2.5	4 element beam	FT290R2
10	M3EYP/P	IO83	5	509	6	3,054	G8HQW/P	157	2.5	SB3 (3Y)	FT-817

Comments from the logs:

2E0TXT/P

It was very windy. My tent made more noise than the wind

G0OVA/P

Severe Gale force winds hampered operations. Called many stations inc. continentals but few QSO's

G1ARU/P

Good conditions to the East and South, poor to the North. Good WX but a little windy.

G3BPK/P

Best European DX ever heard from this site. Good Weather too, But as usual, it died in the last hour when the 24hour contesters finished!!

G4ALE/P

Worked all we could hear except 1 PA0! Condx not good to East but EA's easy! Not much heard to north. Wet start too!

G4ARI/P

Rain & wind but nice to catch some DX I was amazed to hear UR7D for about 5 seconds at 11:30

G4XZL/P

Great conditions down to EA via tropo, also good to GM. Struggled with lack of G stations maybe they are not not beaming SW? Weather - Visibility almost zero due to low cloud for much of contest!! Also strong wind - spent 4 hours with at least one hand straining to keep beam pointing in correct direction - need to improve design over winter months!

G8BGV/P

Conditions good at start and tailed off towards the end. Low UK Activity. Strong winds yet again. This is likely to be my last serious attempt at this series of contests. Need a new challenge!

G8CQA/P

Nice conditions, some DX worked and some missed.

GW8ZRE/P

Fair DX LAST HOUR VERY QUITE.

M0REG/P

Good conditions, some nice DX thanks to big stations with good ears! Wet and windy (again). Very quiet last hour - where were all the backpackers?

M1EYP/P

Operation was also my 1000th SOTA activation.